Illuminator for license-plates



' l Vi.'H. LY NCH. ILLUMINATOR FOR LICENSE PLATES. v

, APPLICATION FILED JUNE I6, 1920.

Patented May 17,1921. 7

OFFIQE.

WILLIAIE I-I. LYNCH, 0F BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

ILLUMINATOB FOR LICENSE-PLATES.

masses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 16, 1920. Serial No. 389,526.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. LYNCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented a new and useful Illuminator for License-Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an illuminator for use in connection with license plates on motor vehicles, one of the objects being to provide a lamp housing of novel construction having an outlet for light rays extending throughout the length of the housing and which outlet is provided with adjustable shutters by means of which the light cast on the license plate can be controlled so as to properly illuminate said plate.

A further object is to provide a housing for the device having removable parts by means of which access can be had readily to the various parts, the lamp being removably mounted within the housing in a novel manner.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in.

the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the device, a portion thereof being removed to disclose one pair of shutter operating members.

Fig.2 is a section on line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on line 33, Fig. 2. Fig. a is a detail view of the removable lamp holder Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a substantially cylindrical housing provided, along the bottom thereof, with a broad slot 2 along the op; posed sides of which are provided depending flanges 3 shaped to form holding channels or guides 4. A fixed head 5 is provided at one end of the housing and a removable head 6 is mounted on the other end of the housing, this latter head beingfastened in place by screws 7 or the like. y removing the head 6 a strip 8 of glass or other transparent material can be inserted into the channels or guides 4 so as to extend throughout the length of the housing, after which the head 6 can be again placed in position and fastened.

Formed in the housing at the center thereof and diametrically opposite the slot 2 is an opening 9 and surrounding and extending upwardly from points adjacent the wall of this opening is. anextension housing 10 which is preferably angular in cross section. This extension housing is adapted to receive a plate 11. provided at two opposed sides Patented May 17, 1 921.

with downwardly extending flanges 12 and at its other sides with upwardly extending flanges 13. A socket 141 is carried by-the plate 11 and supports an arcuate reflector 15. A lamp 16 is connected to the socket below the reflector and a plug 17 of the usual or any preferred construction is connected to the upper end of the socket and has wires 18 extending thereto through a slot 19 formed in one wall of the extension housing.

The plate 11 is adapted to be inserted into the extension housing so as to fit snugly therein with the reflector 15 bridging the opening 9 and resting on the housing 1 while the lamp 16 is supported in said housing 1. A cover plate 20 serves to close the extension housing 10 and has wings 21 extending therefrom into said housing 10 so as to bear upon the plate 11 and hold the" parts firmly in place. Any suitable means may be provided for securing this plate 20 in position. In Fig. 2 screws 22 have been shown'for this purpose, the same extending,

through flanges at opposite sides of the plate 20 and into the adjacent walls of the housing extension 10.

Formed in the top of the housing 1 at opposite sides of the extension 10 are slots 23 formed in pairs and extending transversely under each pair of slots is an arcuate clamping plate. 24.- held to the housing 1 at the sides of the plate by pins 25 while extending from the center of the arcuate 1 plate and through the wallof the housing 1 between the slots 23 is a threaded stud 26 en aged by a nut 27.

of housing 1 adjacent each end is an arcuecured to the inner surface of the wall ate holding strip 28 and slidably mounted 7 between these strips and the wall of the housing at opposite sides of the slot 2 are arcuate shutters 29 each of which has an arcuate arm 30 extending therefrom at oppo- I site sides of the lamp 16. Each plate 2% is slidably engaged by one arm 30 of each shutter 29, the arcuate arms engaged by each clamping plate being extended in opposite directions under the respective slots 23 and each arm having a finger piece 31 projecting through the adjacent slot.

It Will be apparent that by loosening the studs 26 the arms 30 can be shifted by means of the finger pieces 31 so as to move the shutters 29 toward or from each other thus to partly or entirely shut off the escape of light rays through the slot 2. Obviously the shutters maybe so positioned as to direct the light rays downwardly in a sheet at any desired angle so as to properly illuminate the license tag adjacent thereto. By tightening the nuts 27 the plates 2 Will be caused to bind upon the arms 30 and thus hold the shutters securely in any position to Which they may be adjusted. Cover plates are secured in any suitable manner to the housing 1 and are adapted to house the finger pieces 31 and studs 26. By providing the adjustable shutters 29 the light rays escaping downwardly from the housing through the slot 2 can be directed at any angle desired so as to properly illuminate the license tag Wherever it may be located. If the license tag is slightly forward of the housing 1 the front shutter can be raised and the rear shutter lowered so that the light rays Will be directed forwardly. llf the license tag is nearer a position directly under'the center of the housing the front shutter 29 can be lowered and the rearshutter raised so that the light will be properly directed onto the tag. (lbviously various adjustment-s can be effected to secure the best results.

An opening 33 is formed in the front of the housing at the center thereof and mounted on the housing and surrounding this opening is a flange 34 carrying a lens 35 which can be used as a tail light. The shutter 29 nearest the opening 33 is pr vided With a slot 36 so that this shutter Will not interfere With the projection of the light rays to the lens 35.

The attachment herein described can be used at either end of the motor vehicle for the purpose of illuminating either the front license tag or the rear tag. If used at the front-of tie machine it is not necessary to have the tail light as a part of the attachment.

What is claimed is: v

1. An illuminating attachment for license tags including a housing having an outlet slot, an extension housing, a plate insertible into the extensionhousing, a lamp socket carried thereby, a reflector connected to the plate by saidsocket, a lamp supported by the socket and within the housingya cover plate for the extension housing, means caried thereby for holding the plate in the eX- tension housing.

2. An illuminating attachment for license p ates including a housing having an outlet slot extending throughout the length thereof, arcuate guides secured in the'hous- 'ing at opposite sides of the outlet slot, separately movable arcuate shutters slidabl-y engaging the guides, arcuate arms extending from the shutters, finger pieces extending therefrom and slidable in the Wall of the housing and means for clamping the arms to hold the shutters'against relative movement. r

in testimony that l clalm the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. LYNCH.

/Vitnesses:

' ANNA LYNCH,

SHELDON N. FnLnMAN. 

